entitlement for all americans, no matter your income, no matter your background, no matter your ethnic group, religion or sexual orientation. that's what we fought for in 2012. and that's what we're determined to keep the fight on in 2013. i'll be there and i hope you're there with us. as we go forward. thanks for watching. i'm al sharpton. please join us monday, new year's eve, at 6:00 p.m. for the second annual revvie awards. on behalf of everyone here at politics nation, have a safe and h happy new year. "hardball" starts right now. >> deal or no deal. let's play ""hardball." >> good evening. i'm richard wolf in for chris matthews. at the 11th hour, just when people were starting to lose hope, the president met with congressional leaders this afternoon and declared he was modestly optimistic about a deal on taxes. speaking in the white house briefing room, president obama condemned congress for failing to resolve its differences in any normal way. >> christin, let's take a listen to what the president said about the up or down vote about what he expects to emerge from the senate. >> i just had a go